Disaster update: Jane even more exhausted, +Maya doing better and better

Dear all -- a very quick update since I need to be back in the saddle at work and am going through a mountain of e-mail here at the office.

+Maya Pavlova and I had our first good sleep in several nights last night. Mine was a little too short and I could use a week of nonstop naps and massages, but it ain't gonna happen, so we'll just try to live a healthy steady life in the midst of the transition. I am getting proper nutrition and taking my vitamins. The bathtub needs a plug so I can only take showers and I really wanted a warm bath last night, but hey, I have running water! So in the cosmic scheme of things, things are good: the bathroom is set up, the bed has been set up since we got moved in Sunday night, and yesterday a friend came over and helped unpack part of the kitchen, so that is functioning too. The radio is out, two pictures are up on the wall, as is a Russian icon of Mary (not an original, but who cares).

The rest of the house is in boxes. My image of La Virgen de Guadalupe is still at the old house, watching over things. (Note: the part of the house where she is was fine and completely unaffected. I'm just sayin'.) The disaster recovery people are at the old house, continuing to go through the rubble, but they are almost done. They did manage to recover a lot. My grandparents' bed was broken into pieces, but we did recover the headboard and it is at the new house. My grandfather's dresser, which was build to last, is fine except for the top, which will need some refinishing or something, but it was so solid that all the clothes in it were fine too. Hurrah, we have underwear, socks, and t-shirts and some sweaters.

Oh, and after nosing around for two hours, Her Grace disappeared from (Un-)Packing Central and when my friend and I went searching for her, we found her sacked out on the bed, sleeping deeply on one of my pillows. It was the first time since we moved in that she'd looked so relaxed and had such a deep sleep and also the first time she'd settled on my bed. (This surprised me, since I expected she'd sleep on it the first night. But she was busy marking her new territory, rubbing against every corner of every room and every one of about 100 boxes, or however many are stacked around the house.)

Miss Maya P. has a new perch and when I left for work, was busy watching the fauna in her new back yard. We have birds, at least one groundhog who waddles around, and the day I first looked at the house, a bunny (also a rare landing from a hawk, who was looking hard at the bunny) and lots of bugs including mosquitoes who bit me heartily during the move when the doors were open a lot. Maya has chased and caught two large bugs in the house.

Two fine friends came over for dinner and we had a feast of Chinese take-out plus one Thai dish (there is a very good Chinese plus Thai place nearby) on real chairs with Maya watching attentively. One member of the couple was the friend who helped in the afternoon and she also brought fresh fruit, milk, and ice cream, in addition to a great salad for lunch. I had told her I was craving green and crunchy food (which you don't get when you are on the run) so she brought a sandwich for herself and a fabulous salad for me.

I must go deal with work. Thanks again so much for the notes, virtual hugs, and prayers. Keep 'em coming. I am feeling quite exhausted and must keep up the school stuff. But I plan to get to bed early tonight. Tomorrow is my super long workday AND the school's Opening Convocation (not quite opening, since we started classes two and a half weeks ago). Thursday a.m. I can get up later and I had a haircut scheduled, so I will see my tasteful and very buff hairdresser and all will be well with the world.